B2B Marketing: Tips During the Coronavirus Pandemic

March 23, 2020//
By
Robin Lebovitz

March 23, 2020//
By
Robin Lebovitz

Companies have to get their message out, both during good times and bad. Surprisingly, some companies even pull out of economically difficult times – a.k.a. a recession or downturn – stronger than when they go in, developing corporate resilience. In these uncertain times, constant communication with customers is very important.

The critical message is to get moving sooner than later.

“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must move faster than the lion, or it will not survive. Every morning, a lion wakes up, and it knows it must move faster than the slowest gazelle – or it will starve. It doesn’t matter if you are the lion or the gazelle. When the sun comes up, you’d better be moving.”

– Kevin Laczkowski, Senior Partner of McKinsey (Chicago)

We need to reassure customers, holding their hands and telling them (as many times as it takes), “we’re going to get through this together.” People now need information and education instead of promotions. They want advice or evidence to be able to trust your company and product before they move forward on their next purchase. They want to know things like, is your product/service safe? Does it meet immediate needs? How long does it take to see ROI? Regarding distribution, is there easy access or delivery?

What you need to do now for your B2B marketing

The situation we’re in today is to dial up your digital marketing efforts and be prepared for tomorrow, the day after the virus fades. Epidemics don’t last forever, and you must keep getting your message in front of your customers and potential customers.

Focus on educating your audiences.

During this time period, businesses need to work hard on generating and nurturing more leads, expanding engagement. Nurture relationships, offer education and consults, share information that gives prospects and customers greater peace of mind. Show the benefits of your solution in terms of current needs.

Stay agile and attuned to adjusting to your customers’ needs now.

One SAGE client, KMS Lighthouse, provides knowledge management solutions to call centers. The SAGE Marketing team designed emails, published a relevant blog, and ratcheted up digital marketing to inform customers of its capabilities to instantly supply company knowledge on the cloud, providing secure knowledge access for call center operations to continue remotely or Work From Home.

Intensify your B2B digital marketing efforts.

Since many people have more time in quarantine or a different work pace, B2B marketing is focusing on opportunities to generate ebooks, webinars, and online activities. Even if you think you’re in a good spot regarding digital marketing, realize that your competitors will all be raising their game in this regard, too.

Nurture prospects and potential future business customers NOW.

Nurturing prospects secures your business’s future.Matics, a real-time operational intelligence platform for manufacturers, is nurturing new leads through a series of emails, explaining how its software helps manufacturing firms increase their production efficiency and meet the world’s demands, especially in critical industries such as food and packaging. Educated audiences will become potential buyers eventually, either during or after this pandemic lets up.

Have your marketing and pitch decks ready.

You need to crush it in the first 30 seconds. You must have a powerful pitch to win over customers. Decide the top points you want to convey, and consider your hook. What’s the call-to-action? If you’re not ready to pitch, someone else will be. Get ready now by preparing.

In short, we all know that the next few months will be hard for everyone but could also bring different opportunities. Keep giving your B2B customers a reason to choose you over others. Businesses that are proactive in managing their marketing will not only survive this recession but come out stronger and be prepared to weather any storm.

If you have any questions or doubts about how to tailor your marketing during this time, SAGE is offering free B2B marketing consultations.